


Kitty Chat Kisses

by wearebellarke



Series: Ladynoir Trash [1]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Angst and Romance, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Kissing, LadyNoir - Freeform, So many kisses, Sorry Not Sorry, the angst just happened I promise it wasn't the plan
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-11
Updated: 2015-11-11
Packaged: 2018-04-30 23:34:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5183918
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wearebellarke/pseuds/wearebellarke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Chat is deprived of kisses in his life. Ladybug wants to help her kitten as much as she can without breaking the law of destiny.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Kitty Chat Kisses

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a cute, short -oh my gosh look at them kiss- drabble, so I really don't know how this happened. It gets kinda, well, you know, a little more heavy with angst and yearnings.
> 
> Set after 5 years of canon timeline [but it's really an AU so don't expect anything "canon" wise] (*wink wink nudge nudge*) (I need to practice writing LIGHT and FLUFFY fifteen year old romance, I really do)
> 
> Just to clarify this is mostly Ladynoir, however there are hints of Adrinette in some scenes. Chat and Ladybug are mostly controlling the story. This is not a reveal fic, this is mostly angst and drama, but all is well I promise. So if you like, you know, a crumb or a cookie would be nice (: 
> 
> Enjoy!

Adrien would never admit this casually, but he really liked kisses.

He supposed it’s due to the lack of a mother. The memories that stained his mind when he tucked himself in bed and relived the moment she’d come in to kiss his forehead goodnight kept him up to the point of exhaustion. He’d close his eyes and remember the way she’d kiss his hand when he'd do something she’s proud of, or his cheek when she wished him luck for a test Nathalie prepared. She’d press a kiss on top of his head in times of sadness, and pepper his face with kisses in times of love. It’s only a matter of time before his aching chest would require for someone to kiss him.

He once asked Plagg after a battle with an Akuma, but the little black creature heaved and ‘died’ in Adrien’s hands until the only thing that would revive him was a kiss with cheese. After that, Adrien felt reluctant to ask anyone. (There was always Chloe, but even Adrien knew he’d regret asking her the moment he approach her.)

During his job was Adrien’s chance to be paired up with someone and receive the kisses he so desperately needed. The romance market had Adrien's name all over it. It wouldn't have to be hard. Besides, he wasn't asking for much, just platonic kisses; cheek or hand, he was fine to give back if they so required.

It got to the point where he’d greet his friends and co-workers with kisses (nothing out of the ordinary for a French), and left them with questions Adrien didn’t want to answer. He greeted Marinette one morning at their usual brunch on a Wednesday afternoon, with a gentle kiss on her hand that had her face red for the entire day. He couldn't approach her without seeing red staining her cheeks. Before they went home, he apologised for his behavior.

“I-it’s okay, I’m sure you had a reason to kiss me—Not, not _kiss_ me kiss me—which we did not...you kissed my hand so it doesn’t really count, and it wasn’t terrible. You are not a terrible kisser.” She ended her rambling with a small tug on her bottom lip, an action that had Adrien wondering if platonic kisses were truly enough to satisfy him. 

Of course they were.

“Thanks Marinette.”

"Anyway," Marinette said, brushing her longer strands of hair away from her face, "I have to get back to work. Mr Agreste won't be happy with my lack of participation on the new outfits for Winter."

During night patrol, Chat Noir could not stop himself.

They stared out from a rooftop near the main city lights and looked over at Paris; the lights highlighting Ladybug’s figure in a golden glow. Her features were more beautiful than he could ever imagine them to be. He gently carried Ladybug’s hand in between his, waited until their eyes connected, and pressed a gently kiss in the centre.

Ladybug frowned, but, unlike other times, didn’t poke his nose for being his flirty self. He watched those blue eyes of hers analyse him like a puzzle. He let her see the vulnerable side of him, just a second, only a taste, before his defense mechanism activated. “Oh, my Lady enjoys my kisses? Perhaps she secretly requires more. Ah, what a service I’ll be.” He pressed a firmer kiss to the same spot, just as Ladybug pried her hand away. The look in her eyes refused to wipe off the matching expression on her face.

“There’s something bothering you,” she said, and stepped closer in his space. “Tell me.”

The corner of his mouth twitched. “Five years of not knowing who I am getting to you? I thought it was best not to share anything personal. Has my Lady developed feelings for her kitten yet?”

“You’re acting out of the blue,” she stated. “I can’t have you act like this when there are Akuma's still running around. Share with me. It might help.”

He wanted to tell her. His body wanted to show her, but his mouth wouldn’t open. It wouldn’t pass out of his throat. He ended up making a choking sound.

Ladybug’s frown deepened behind her mask.

She grabbed his face and brought him inside her space, until his body almost aligned with hers and he could feel her firm figure against his chest. She wasn’t short. He could lean down only the slightest to have their face become parallel if he wished. 

“Chat.” Ladybug’s tone became desperate. He had never heard her sound like that before, at least, not out of a battle. His body became jelly in her embrace. “Tell me.”

“If I do,” Chat said, “I’m afraid I will be left disappointed.”

“Chat?”

“My Lady.” He closed his eyes, unable to look at her concern for him without wanting to collapse. “May I kiss you?”

Her hold slipped as she processed his request, and a sigh passed her mouth. “That’s what you’ve been wingding about tonight? Chat, you know we can't...”

He fist a gloved hand but didn’t have the energy to look up at her. “Ladybug, it is not something I would ask lightly without a reason.”

He knew she had one hand on her hip from the sound of her suit shifting. “And what’s the reason?”

He stared at his hands. “It’s been too long without my mother’s love. I’m deprived of it, my Lady. I’ve been haunted without her reassurance for too long.” He looked at her and saw emotion swimming in her eyes. “I...I need them again.”

"Why me?" she asked.

He looked at her, fondly. "Who else do I trust more than my partner in crime?"

A brooding expression hardening with every question and theory running behind her eyes. He couldn't have fallen for another like her, even if it were wrong. “If I do agree, what kind of kisses are you after?” 

The air in him went uneven.

“This is no means manipulation. If you allow me, I can demonstrate.”

He waited for her consent before he cradled her face and tilted her head down so his lips could press gently against her forehead. He closed his eyes, relishing the moment, before he drew away.

Ladybug’s gaze went hazy with concern, an etched expression he wasn't expecting to find. She reached out to hold his face, and Chat thought, if he could heal from any touch, this would be the way to go. Ladybug went on her tiptoes to press her own lips over the hair that fell in between his eyes. Chat sighed in content and wrapped his arms around her form, a hug she easily slipped into.

“Like that?” she asked, breath a little shaken.

“Perfect, my Lady.”

Before they parted ways, Chat kissed her hand, and she in return kissed his.

It became a routine for them after that.

When they finished protecting the city from an Akuma, they'd do their traditional fist bump, but Chat would tug her towards him and kiss the side of her head. It probably wasn't the best choice to do in public, as photos of them together made the headline of Ayla's blog, which then spread across the country, but Adrien took the opportunity and used them as his laptop background. Twenty years old, and his love for Ladybug had turned unconditional. She still, however, wouldn't let him tell her.[  
](http://we-are-bellarke.tumblr.com/)

Ladybug had confronted him about the gossip between the two of them, explaining how everyone thinks they're together in a romantic way. Chat laughed and patted her shoulder, telling her they'll keep the display of affection private. He knew how much being her friend meant, and although Chat would like to be more (he wanted to be more since he met her) he respected his companion and her decision to keep it as professional as they could. Because this arrangement was no means a way of being close on a personal level. It couldn't be.

He thanked her for still giving him what he required, despite her feeling uncomfortable with the rumours spreading around. 

However, it didn't stop him from taking her dancing near the main city, where an apartment floor had its windows opened with music sweeping out. She laughed and rolled her eyes more times than he could've imagined her doing in one night, but it was fun, and he felt like a teenager taking the girl he loved out to prom on a beautiful night. He dipped her and kissed her forehead and she smiled sweetly, like one would when they appreciate a friend's gratitude. 

For that reason, his stomach twisted, and the feline side of him, the selfish side of him, wanted more of a reaction. He kissed her cheek, right underneath her mask, and moved to the edge of her jaw, where he just managed to press his lips  before she put distance between them.

"Do you need me to hold you?" she asked him, as if his actions meant loneliness. He let her, because really, he was lonely, and his Lady's hugs were rare, which made them special.

She avoided any potential romantic scenes that could happen between them. He supposed because their relationship, while intimate at times, wasn't suitable for it. Chat wanted to believe so it wouldn't get to her head. Or worse. Her heart.

 

* * *

 

Marinette didn’t know how it happened but, during the time she graduated high school, talking to Adrien became less difficult to do.

She still blushed, and could barely keep eye contact with him for more than five seconds, but the stuttering ended, and conversations between them had a consistent flow.

Years of befriending him had its benefits. With that observation, she noticed how green his eyes were and how positive his energy affected her during work. When he said goodbye after an office hour, Marinette thought she’d suffocate from how happy he seemed. Whatever made the switch, she was glad it happened. The Adrien she knew on Monday was different to the Adrien she knew now. All Marinette hoped was that the feeling lasted the next time she saw him.

Once home, Tikki flew out of her bag and onto the desk. Marinette hummed a happy tune to herself as she took her folder to work through the Winter's Kryptonite festival they were holding in three weeks. She fixed through the opening designs to midway performance.

Marinette took a deep breath to calm down the stress forming in her temples.“Let's do this right. Mama and Papa will need help in the store on Tuesday. Natalie will need the dresses by the Wednesday before, and dress rehersals begin the following night...need to make time for night patrol with Chat. He'll need my help for the occuring Akuma's. I’ll be meeting Chat for the next five days on my week off." She ran her fingers through her fringe. "I need to know how he’s doing.”

When she realised twenty minutes have passed by, she looked at Tikki expectantly. 

"You're quiet tonight," she said to her Kwami eating cookies. "Have I done something wrong?"

Tikki finished her cookie silently before she made any sort of acknowledgment to Marinette's question. Yep, Marinette thought. Definitely something wrong.

"You've mentioned Chat Noir more times than you have your parents." 

Marinette knew that glowing look. "It's nothing, Tikki. I promise."

Tikki flew in front of Marinette, her expression softened up, but not by that much. "Are you convincing me that or yourself?"

Marinette made a funny face at her Kwami. “Why would you ask me that? I know about the prophecy. I know that I need to be careful.”

Tikki sighed. "So you are trying to convince me. Marinette..."

"I haven't...we're not doing anything wrong. I know the stakes."

She stared heavily at the designs, but the pictures were blurred. She saw Chat hiding his pain behind his cheeky smile, saw the way his face lit up when she called him kitten, how protective he was with her, the way his eyes sparkled when she got embarrassed; she saw them glow from the kisses she gave him...

“Chat and I are many things, Tikki, but romantic love is not one of them.”

“You're kissing each other a lot," Tikki said. "Isn't that how romance starts?"

Heat spread over Marinette's face, but she pushed those thoughts away before they consumed her.

"I'm helping him out because he needs it. There's nothing more to it than that. Platonic by all means. Kissing doesn't always mean romantic love." A part of her said otherwise. "It's a partner thing."

Tikki smiled. "Does this mean I can kiss you, Marinette?"

Marinette laughed and brought Tikki to her face to place a gentle kiss on her head. "Of course you can."

Tikki hugged her. "I'm sorry I made assumptions. I just don't want anything bad to happen to you."

"Nothing will, Tikki." Marinette swallowed down a lump in her throat. "I promise."

 

* * *

 

Everyday Adrien longed to be in Ladybug’s embrace, showered in her kisses and gentle hands that by the end of today’s rehearsals, he bolted to transform to meet her at their destination. Sure, he was 3 hours earlier, but he packed plenty of cheese for Plagg to enjoy.

"The prophecyyyy~" Plagg sang as he stuffed his cheese. "You're forgetting about it."

"I made a choice," he said, running his slick hair back as he took in the sweet smell of bread in the air. 

"What about that girl, Marinette? Why don't you ask her out and be done with Ladybug? There! Saved you both from being unlucky. You'll still get your kisses."

Adrien smiled at the thought of his colleague. "If our connection was stronger than what Ladybug and I share, I would. Ladybug is the only one who can fulfill the ache."

"Yeah," Plagg muttered, mouth full of cheese, "for how long until it goes bad?"

He transformed back into Chat Noir to prevent hearing his Kwami anymore, even if his words spoke true. His love for Ladybug was doomed from the moment their destinies crossed over. Bad luck always outweighs the lucky. He had proof of that first hand. 

And yet, despite how well he knew the consequences, Chat was prepared to face them as long as she held his hand through the storm. He'd take what he could from her; her sincerity was enough to have him last until his final breath.

When she arrived, he couldn’t contain his smile. “My Lady.”

He captured her sweet smile in his box of memories and reached for the hand she let him have. Chat made the kiss longer than a normal gentle greeting. Ladybug’s cheeks flushed when he looked at her, and his chest bloomed from the amount of happiness he felt. His Lady was affected, and it drove him further into her love.

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something,” Ladybug said, her hands by her side now. They were two people with the same thoughts, their intuitive nature almost impossible to break. Well, sometimes. Chat didn't take long to know where this conversation was going however. 

He avoided her eyes and took in the scenery of buildings in front of him. “I rather not talk about it.”

That, Chat noted, did nothing to make Ladybug back down.

She crossed her arms and glared. “So I’m supposed to let you kiss me until you feel better? Pain like this will never stop until you talk.”

“I will stop when you tell me to. I'm not like that, Ladybug. This matter is too personal to talk freely about."

He regretted saying those words the minute he saw the anguish on her face. “We’re partners, Chat. We may not know each other’s identities, but we trust each other. I mean, I trust you. Do you trust me?”

"Yes, I do." He always would.

She touched his shoulder before she leaned up to press a gentle peck on his cheek. He reached up to hold hers. "I won't force you, kitten." She left him on the roof, not waiting for him to follow because he knew she expected him to.

He sighed, grabbed his staff from behind him, and hooked it behind his shoulders. He calmed his thoughts and his emotions, but gave in like a love-struck fool he was. "I'll tell you when the time feels right," he said to nobody in particular, but a promise to himself nonetheless. He jumped after her; her red suit standing out against the bright sky, and shut off his personal feelings. They had a job to do. 

 

* * *

 

He approached her the next night of their patrol.

She sat patiently on the edge of a roof, staring out to the Eiffel tower. Chat went down on one knee and kissed the hand he picked up. Her stomach churned as he rubbed her hand, playing with her fingers until he pressed tiny pecks against the pad of them. She tore her hand away to clutch her chest, surprised at how fast it hammered.

He blinked up in surprise. “My Lady?”

“This isn’t...It’s uncomfortable.”

Chat stilled in his place, and Ladybug knew she'd hurt his feelings. He lowered his head. “My apologies.”

Ladybug hated how his frown looked on him, almost like he was wounded internally, nothing that her lucky charm could cleanse. His kitty cat eyes, although unintentional, made her regret pulling away. But she had to. This wasn’t about her, and she needed to realise that. At the same time, she couldn’t allow him to kiss her like ... like a kitten in love, and that was something he needed to realise, too. He wouldn't kiss his mother like that. He couldn't imagine him kissing Marinette or his friends with emotions either. This was a comfort matter. Neither one was comfortable.

She motioned him to sit next to her. “Look at Paris with me. It’s a beautiful night.”

“It is.” The stars shined like someone threw a box of glitter to the wind and let it materialize in the sky.

“How does it make you feel?”

“Warm. Strong. Something I find when I’m beside you.”

Her heart stopped for a second, but she didn’t tell him off. He looked far away—too far for her to catch. In the moment, all she wanted was to stay be his side and listen to his bad buns and ridiculous flirting like they'd done when they were fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen...

She laced their hands together and brought his gloved one to her lips, an action that went against her "platonic" thoughts, but an action that felt right. She watched him close his eyes and sigh. Ladybug pressed one more kiss to the back of his palm before she let it rest back on his lap. “If we’re going to do this,” she said, “we’re going to need boundaries.”

“Whatever my Lady wishes.”

She counted the rules on her fingers. “One: You’re not allowed to kiss me without my permission first. Two: If you want me to comfort you, you need to give me heads up. Three: We're professional while we work. The last thing we need are more rumours about Ladybug and Chat Noir." 

He didn't say anything, but his silence confirmed his agreement.

She swallowed hard and shook when she held up her forth finger. "You ask me where you’d like to kiss me, but if I say no—”

His eyes flashed, just as she expected. “I would _never_ do something you’re not comfortable with, Ladybug.”

The intensity in his eyes made her lose focus on her next point. She rarely saw him serious in times of their laid back and casual demeanour, and it refreshed her thoughts on what Chat was like. He means what he spoke, she told herself, as if his past actions had not yet clarified her apprehension...

...since when were his eyes _that_ green?  Her pulse raced, as if she just ran a marathon as Marinette. 

“Ladybug,” Chat said, and took her hand in his before he scooted closer. Ladybug felt dizzy and breathless as he looked at her lips. “May I ask a favour?”

She wouldn't do it, she promised Tikki. But his eyes...“Okay.”

“Can you kiss my forehead?”

She would  _not_ allow herself to repeat the mistakes of her past lives.

She gently took his head in her hands and kissed between his eyes, over his leather mask, missing the location entirely. She tried again by pulling him down, but her partner winced. She huffed in frustration and moved to fold her legs under her, until she was the taller one. They locked eyes until one of her hands pushed the hair back from his face. Her lips landed on his skin like a butterfly kiss, but lingering longer than it should. Sparks started up from her fingertips that ran down her arms and down her spine. Instinctively, her body flexed towards him. Chat's thumb traced her ankle, a brief touch that had her breathless.

“My Lady, may I request another on my cheek?”

She ducked and turned her head, pressing her soft lips underneath the corner of his mask and moved to kiss him on his other cheek. She felt warm in his heat; his pulse beat against her palm as she slid down to cup under his jawline. Her thumbs rubbed against the rough, prominent bone.  She'd never felt so warm. Tikki would kill her first before the prophecy did. “Anywhere else, kitten?”

He bowed his head before her until she saw the crown of his golden hair and the pair of black cat ears.

“Kiss me here.” Her fingers twitched, but Chat wrapped a hand on her arm and held onto it. “Trust me,” he said. “Please.”

She laid her hand on his shoulder, closed her eyes, and kissed the centre of his hair. He smelt of coconut shampoo. Like fur, Ladybug pressed herself in the softness of his hair. She moved from the middle to press her lips to each surface she could reach, her hand combing the back of his neck until he shivered in her embrace.

She hushed him when a tear fell on her lap.

She hushed her thoughts for screaming at her hypocrisy.

 

* * *

 

He looked up at her and saw how the lights of Paris circled her in a radiate golden embrace. It made his body turn sluggish and warm; made his eyes more focused and observant. They flickered down to her parted plump lips, red from the pressure of kissing him. Oh, she looked very much kissed, but he needed to taste her, capture her scent in the most personal way.

His gloved palm slid down to where her fingers remained tangled in his hair, and laced them together. He kissed her knuckles, just once, before he pressed the centre of her palm to his chest.

“Chat,” his lady whispered. “You didn’t ask me first.”

He would’ve thought she blushed if it weren’t for how dark it had gotten. And yet, she’d never looked more radiant. “My Lady, may I kiss you?”

“Where?”

But she knew where, and Chat grinned at how wide and innocent her eyes were. His thumb grazed the bottom of her lip, and waited. No, he would wait until she moved first. He would wait until the questions and planning that reflected in her heavenly blue eyes ceased. And then--and only then--would he allow himself to kiss her.

Her touch softened against his chest, and he knew her answer before her eyes could shut down on him. “It’s too much,” she said.

He'd tell her the next day he didn't mean anything of it, and that the magic of Paris had him brainwashed into doing exactly what it wanted him to do. He'd remind her of the promise they told each other on his nineteenth birthday, to never peruse any romantic interest for the sake of destiny. She would laugh, call him a sly kitten, and they would go back to being loud and sarcastic like they were before. 

Yet, he watched her go and knew it was too late to go back.

* * *

 

Chat didn’t chase her like she expected him too, and Ladybug was grateful for the space he gave her. She slipped inside her room and clutched her heart tight as she fell flat against her bed. Tikki flew out and laid gently on her shoulder.

That was too close, she thought.

He was too close.

She had never felt more alive.

 

* * *

 

Marinette laughed at her best friend's attempt of Ladybug's moves outside the cafe a block away from _Agreste Fashion Cooperation,_ insisting the superhero had the grace of a swan and agility of a cat.

"Chat Noir has the agility of a cat," Marinette insisted. "Ladybug, not so much."

Alya had a glint in her eyes that reminded Marinette of a determined warrior. "Her agility goes beyond a cat! The years had major benefits on her skills. She could probably kick Chat Noir's butt if they ever fought--not that I would want to see that. My ship can't fight each other! Oh, how it hurts to imagine."

"Ah, but who would win is the question, no?"

"Ladybug of course!"

Marinette rolled her eyes. "So much confidence in a superhero who couldn't manage to defeat any Akuma's on her own. Remember that time last year? It took her three days to defeat the Cloth Machine. When Chat Noir finally showed up, BAM! See? Couldn't do it without him." Marinette was grateful she had someone like Chat to help her on the job. There were times when Chat's strength had the better advantage. Add his agility abilities, and Chat Noir was capable of winning anything.

"But that was one time. She could totally manage on her own though." Alya's eyes swerved behind Marinette, and the same glint rewired back to life. "Adrien, we're here!"

Marinette sucked in her breath as Adrien walked up to them, business suit—Marinette's design—sharp and polished. His sweet persona never faded from age.

 "Bonjour," he said, and leaned forward to kiss Ayla on the cheek and one on Marinette's. Ayla's radiate smile wasn't like the one in high school, but Marinette knew she was happy her and Adrien were close friends. 

"We're talking about Ladybug and Chat Noir," Marinette informed him as he got comfortable between them.

Adrien nodded. "No surprise."

"Who do you think would win between Ladybug and Chat Noir?" Ayla asked.

Adrien frowned. "Why? Are they fighting?"

Alya placed a hand against her hip and scrolled up on her phone. "From what my blog says, they seem more in love than ever before."

Adrien smiled. "Then there's no reason to decide."

Alya, however, wouldn't let it go down that fast, and if it weren't for how insistent she sounded about the matter, Marinette would've changed the subject quickly to avoid a pointless argument. "But think about it; they know each other's flaws. They've been fighting beside each other for years! They're so in-sync they'll know what move the other would do."

"Ladybug," he said after minutes of silence. Alya was about to jump in to state her own opinion, until Adrien continued. "She makes Chat Noir look weak in comparison."

"Chat Noir is not weak," Marinette said in a clear and confident tone. His answer had her holding back an outburst.  "If it weren't for him, Ladybug would never be as successful. They're a team. Yin and Yang." Why was she the only one seeing this?

Ayla nodded. "Yin and Yang. Lucky and unlucky. One can't do much without the other balancing them out. Yes, I agree. They're best."

Adrien nodded, but a taut expression formed that made Marinette suggest differently. "Yeah, you're right, the best."

"Then it's settled," Ayla said, turning the attention back on her. "They're unstoppable when they fight together, but no one wins when they fight against each other. Hmm, catchy! I'll have my blog updated by tonight. My followers will love it."

 

* * *

 

It was their first Akuma since their almost kiss, but their trust in each other remained intact.

The Akuma called herself Poison Lips, which, for Ladybug's case, couldn’t have been anymore cliche if she tried hard enough. But what was in a name prevailed to be true. Her victims were left paralyzed; mouth stained in green, their bodies unmoved, frozen, on the pavement.

She pulled them both out of a series of flying kisses as Chat used his staff to protect them from getting hit. The wind blew harshly against her face, and for a moment, Ladybug was sure her vision went blurry on her. 

They landed in a synchronized formation.

"Take the corner, and knock down the pole," Ladybug said, pointing to the side street of blocked cars and destroyed buildings. "We can't let her through."

Chat swung his staff in perfect precision,  and swiped the metal pole with a defined clink. Poison Lips stumble back. If she were any closer, she'd be hit and wounded on the shoulder. In one aspect, Ladybug was glad she didn't get hit. On the other, it would've been an advantage. 

Poison Lips cried out in rage and aimed at Chat Noir with her flying green lights; blowing kiss after kiss after kiss like a Chloe fangirling about Adrien.

"You think you can get away from my kisses?" She cried when one of them backfired and hit her on her shoulder. Ladybug looked at her partner as he came back towards her, body in front of hers like a shield. She frowned, and tried to stand next to him, but his arm barricaded her, and his grip held onto her hand when he saw her prying his arm away.

"What are you doing?" 

He turned his head to the side, a dark expression shadowing under his eyes. But they weren't directly at her. "Stay behind me." He added pressure on his grasp. Ladybug saw the fear in the tightness of his mouth, felt the tremble when he turned to face their enemy. She had saw him act the way he did once upon a time, protecting Marinette from flying basketballs as heavy as trucks. He had told Marinette that he was never to forgive himself if she were hurt. 

Her pulse ran up to her throat. Her hold on Chat was urgent. "Let me help. I can do a lucky charm—"

"You do that," Chat said, just as Poison Lips recovered from her paralyzed shoulder, "And your timer runs out quicker. We're not fifteen anymore, my Lady. Things are different now. Just stay back."

"No."

"Ladybug!"

She had her yo-yo ready before he could stop her physically. "Remember Junk Man? Same format. But instead of using Catacylsm use your batten." Without hearing his response, she moved into the attack.

Poison Lips cooed. "Aren't you a lucky one. Come here and get your kiss."

She dodged right, left, and jumped over broken wood as the green lights flew at her in ineffable speed. She did what was needed for her to keep her enemy's attention; getting her closer and closer to the boarder of the damaged road, near a pile of twisted nets. Poison Lips eventually boiled in rage.

"Kiss me, kiss me! Why won't you love me?"

Ladybug looked at Chat from afar, a smirk playing on her lips. "Love, you say? Who knew you had to force someone to kiss you for that."

"Ridiculous," Chat said from the other side, loud enough that when Poison Lips jerked at the sound, Chat had used his batten to slam cardboard in her face, forcing her body against the nets. "I'd rather kiss myself all day than fall in love."

Ladybug rolled her eyes at her partner as he gave her a wink, and proceeded to end the battle.

She knelt in front Poison Lips, confident she couldn't escape with her arms and legs keeping her down.

"Careful," she heard Chat say.

Ladybug placed her hand over the Akuma's mouth to wipe the lipstick off and retract the butterfly--

The smirk that transformed under her and the warning Chat yelled were blurred out by the time Poison Lips had her mouth on hers.

The effects were fast. Her pulse slowed as her vision disappeared.

For just a second.

Light flashed under eyelids. Her body tingled with pins and needles, as if she stretched from a long, curled up ball that cut off her circulation, but it was her mouth that burned. She blinked open to see worried wide emerald eyes and golden hair framing their faces.

"Chat." Her throat felt thick and heavy, but her partner had heard her loud and clear. "Chat, I can't breathe."

He didn't seem to hear her as he rested his forehead against hers, forgetting about her difficulty to inhale air properly. She would've pushed him away if it weren't for how bad he shook.

"Chat?"

She pushed him away so she could sit up. He had one of his hands behind her head, fingers attached to her ribbons. Ladybug was no longer woozy. Her energy flowed within her like a charged up battery. She reached out to touch him, and found she was no longer wearing her suit.

Her heart stopped. She touched her face and felt the familiar material stuck to her skin. She calmed herself down from the sudden panic, until she realised the shaking hadn't stopped.

"Adrenaline, my Lady," he whispered with thick emotion. His other hand cupped her face gently, and the wooziness was back, but not from being tired. It was a different kind of woozy.

"Adrenaline." She frowned and consumed the need reflected in Chat's eyes. "This is all adrenaline."

"Just—" he said, but the words died down when Ladybug pressed her lips against his, and waited until he kissed her back to move her arms around his neck. The hand behind her head dipped low against her upper back, pulling her closer until Ladybug was sure nothing else mattered but the intensity between them.

So when she woke with a gasp with Chat kneeling next to her with his hands cupping a moving black butterfly, waiting for her to purify it before he did something silly like eat it, her chest sunk into the pit of her stomach and disappointment weaved through the veins that led to her heart strings.

 

* * *

 

His Lady had him cuddling her when they took a break from patrolling, a break that lasted hours too long, a break without so much as words but the warmth of their company.

He asked to kiss her forehead as they sat on their rooftop with dusk trailing behind them, a reminder of the time they had spent together, and what was left of it.

Ladybug sighed against him and held his arms tighter around her. "Just for tonight, you can kiss me as you please," he heard her say.

Instinctively, he tightened his hold on her, and pulled her back to kiss her forehead. Yes, he'd take the occasion to remind himself she was still here, not paralyzed and pale on the road. Her mask hid the expression he ached to see but her shiver gave him the reassurance needed. He kissed the same spot again before he moved lower to her mask. His kiss lasted longer than a peck, and he hoped she understood his meaning behind it.

He heard Plagg tell him to stop. He held her tighter and kissed her longer.

"I like someone," she whispered, but she couldn't have said it any louder.

"I like someone, too." He pressed a kiss on the edge of her cheekbone, attempting to dissolve the ache of her words with the taste of her skin. "My Lady, turn your head for me a little, please." Her eyes remained shut as he kissed her nose and the space between her eyes. He inhaled her scent and nuzzled underneath her jaw, and purred. Her neck bent slightly, and her lips stretched to a small smile.

"He means a lot to me," she continued, her body relaxed and vulnerable, nothing he had ever seen before. "He doesn't know my feelings. Should I tell him, kitten? Should I tell him how I feel?"

"Only if you tell him who you are at night." She hesitated, but she didn't have to say anything. "Only when you're ready to face the consequence. Maybe when you're ready, you tell him. But in the meantime, you have me."

She shook her head. "For only a short while."

"Then let's make it count."

She twisted too fast for him to see it, but her hands weaved in his hair, and her body pressed itself against his. Her mouth pressed over his, harder than what he imagined their kisses to be, but still warm. When she pulled back, flushed, Chat barely gave her time to recover before his lips descended back onto hers, his tongue slipping in the root of her mouth. He hugged her frame as she pushed him flat on her back, their masks knocking each other like hard wood, a reminder of the who they were and what they were willing to sacrifice.

Sometimes she'd laugh and press her hand against his chest and tell him his hair tickled her skin. He'd compare her taste to apple-pie and go on about the delicious treats and sweets he favoured most. Their lips embraced more urgently after that. Chat forgot about everything except his lady. 

Their breaths cut off as they added pressure to their lips. He didn't know how fast time went, nor did he care whether the lights of the Eiffel tower were no longer needed, because his Lady was in his embrace making cute noises in the back of her throat as she tangled herself in his arms. He couldn't imagine a better way to say fuck you to destiny.

But of course, it was just a matter of time before the darkness swarmed in his head, making his kiss feverish and desperate.

It was cruel and unfair how her heart was already taken, while his was left on her porch, waiting for a response, or at least an acknowledgment, but he did what she told him he could do. His lips peppered her lips before they moved to her throat, heating the skin until he was satisfied with the hunger he imprinted. Her arms took control of his body, demanding his attention all at once. His hands pressed against her lower back. He spread his thigh for her to slip through, her chest against his chest, like a fitted puzzle. Five years he had waited. Five years worth the wait.

"Stop."

Did he touch her in a place she didn't like? Maybe she needed to breathe. He gave her room to move but gazed adoringly up in the heavens of her eyes. His thumb came up to brush her moist bottom lip and felt it quake. Instinctively his fingers moved to brush her lose hair behind her ear. Her pulse raced as hard as his. His Lady, his love. He moved up to capture her lips again.

She pressed fingers to his mouth. Her eyes were unreadable. "Stop," she whispered. 

His body froze beneath hers, lips as hard as steel. "You don't want to continue?"

Wide-eyed, breathless, it took her a moment before she shook her head. 

Chat's temples pounded, his throat stuck on the why question, but his mouth firmly forced themselves to shut. The talks, the kisses, in the end meant nothing.

He wouldn't push it.

They pushed it.

She helped them both up before brushing off the dirt on her polka dot outfit, her identical mask brightened by the lightest touch of dawn. Dirt stained her cheek, and Chat moved to wipe it off, but her reflexes were sharper, and she avoided his touch like he was about to hurt her.

Chat had never felt wounded than he did then; unsatisfied by the way she reacted.

They pushed it too far.

It was a mistake for her.

The universe had its target on him now, especially after the insult he gave it.

Maybe Alya was wrong; maybe they weren't as in-sync as everyone predicted they'd be. His chest stung. 

Plagg hissed in his mind, a warning, perhaps? He took it as a sign, and in a Chat Noir fashion, saluted his partner with his signature smirk, as if they didn't just make out like lovers four hours until morning. "It's been a pleasure, my Lady, but Kwami's wait for no one."

The hesitation in Ladybug's eyes had his feet stuck on the roof. Hope bloomed where the sting settled in. "Chat, what about...the prophecy..."

He kissed her hand briefly, a barely touched sensation that left his lips burn as the reminder of their activity. "You're not in love with me." She shook her head despite it not being a question. "No one will get hurt then, no? That's what the prophecy foretold. You're safe."

He dashed off the roof, enduring the sadness he had hoped her kisses would heal.

 

* * *

 

Marinette did not sleep. What was sleep? Was it the thing that had people frown in the morning because they didn't have enough of it? She didn't have enough of it, yet she didn't frown. She didn't smile. There were too many unanswered questions, too many things to think about regarding Chat for her to sleep. Too much to consider on what she felt when she kissed him. Too much to wonder than the festival coming up.

She kissed him. She kissed him until the sun rose for a new day.

For the fiftieth time, Marinette raised her hands to her eyes and shouted in silence. She liked the way his lips melted with hers, and the way he caressed her like someone important. When had it begun shifting from Chat's needs to her wants? Why did her skin blaze up at the memory of his touches and his lips and his eyes. His eyes. Too much emotion for her to take in. Did she love him? Was it just lust she felt?

_Consequences, consequences, consequences._

Tikki floated above her, and Marinette knew she was there, but for the life of her, wouldn't get out of her own head. "It begins, Marinette."

"I like Adrien."

"History will repeat itself."

"Chat and I kissed, and I liked it."

Her Kwami blinked in confusion until tears began to flow from her. "Why don't you care? Tragedy will fall upon you."

Marinette's eyes widened. "We kissed. And I liked it."

"Marinette!"

"I love him."

Her neck was stained in tears, and she held Tikki tight. "I didn't know Kwami's can cry," she whispered.

 

* * *

 

The Akuma—whatever the hell it was called, Chat didn't care—had them almost on the brink of exhaustion. It's funny for Chat, because in those sort of circumstances, Ladybug would spin up an idea like the lucky charm she was and have him Cataclysm on something valuable to society, like their statue, and stop them from causing more harm. And yet, the lucky bug she was had no idea what to do.

"Its weakness has to be somewhere on his clothes," Chat said. "No one can scream like that and  _not_ have something on them. Maybe the bracelet an ex-lover gave them? Although, it's quite cheap, very tasteless from what I can see. They could've upped it with a simple diamond, no?"

She was breathless, and sweaty, and dirty, and he was convinced there was a tear down along her arm. As Adrien, he would've made sure she was okay; be her positive influence; be the person she needed right now.

But he was Chat at the moment, and Chat was not in for jinxing himself. He had enough bad luck in his life. 

"Ladybug!" His teeth clamped tight as he glared at her dodging frame. She wasn't...she wasn't fighting back. He knew those steps, memorized them enough to perform it himself. He dodged a spiral of flying black notes, and clenched his ears as the scream grew louder. "If we don't do something soon, we're dead."

This had to be Destiny's rage.

He tried to attack while the Akuma didn't have its attention on him; his body still and his power ready to give it his all. If his Lady was on the defense side, he knew he had to do something. He wouldn't eat another meal if anything were to happen to her.

His mouth formed the words of his power, when Ladybug came out of nowhere and pushed the Akuma down, flat on its back, until it couldn't move underneath her.

Chat watched her with wide eyes, taking in her flawless movements, her confident word choices, the victory that sketched on her face. The power that he gathered died as quickly as it came, and Chat was left with the after effects; the sluggish, fatigued feeling in his joints and muscles. When his ring flashed in warning, he remained still. He remained impassive.

"Bye, bye, butterfly."

Chat Noir was pissed.

"Team," he said to himself as Ladybug purified the destruction they caused. "What team?"

 _Careful,_ he heard Plagg whisper. 

His mouth slid into his infamous smirk and gave Ladybug their traditional fist bump. 

"Good work," she told him. "I would never have picked up the bracelet if you didn't say anything."

He bowed at the waist a little too sharply. "Of course, my Lady. We cats may not have the greatest luck, but our vision surpasses many."

She gave him a sarcastic nod. "Right, like that's not all talk, kitten." Her facial expression softened, and her eyes were just as big and full of life like he remembered them. She was bruised and bloody, and her suit was ripped on her arm like he expected, but her confident sway towards him had his tail on edge.

"Ladybug?" 

His ring beeped again. Two paws left.

"They're holding up fairy lights down near the lake, not far from here. If you're free, what do you say? Care to join your Lady overlooking some fairy magic?"

His insides screamed to protest, to get serious for once and talk about the miscommunication that just happened, and yet his heart, the betrayer, sped up in glee that his Lady had asked him out on what seemed like a date.

He knew which one would win without having to think about his answer.

It seemed like Ladybug knew, too. She laced her fingers with his, and stepped closer in their little bubble. Chat couldn't focus on anything, or anyone—like the clueless civilian around them—but the shape of her lips and the smell of her skin. She flirted with him gracefully, battling her eyelashes as if it were breathing for her. The hope in her eyes glistened too bright for Chat to endure. She was the Lady he had hoped she would be in his long lost fantasies, where in those fantasies she reciprocated his feelings, and destiny couldn't touch them as they held hands under the full moon with the lights of Paris dazzling over them. Call him a romantic. Story of his life.

But this wasn't anything like his fantasies.

They hadn't talked about what happened the week before. She still had that boy she insisted she liked. Chat Noir frowned. What happened to him? Did she decide one morning to forget about him and move on? Forget about the consequences that were approaching them? Was it all a joke to her? He felt sorry for the poor guy. Ladybug's love was an unconditional one, and she was wasting it with someone who wasn't fond of it right now.

Perhaps she could see him suffer. Underneath his mask, and the thick layer under that, she had to know he wanted to cry, to be reassured he was important in her life and not a burden; not a means to be used and dealt with when in the mood, but someone worth the _consequences_. He refused to be abandoned again. 

"Sorry." He unlaced their hands and created distance between them. His true identity had minutes left from being revealed. No matter how his heart ached to let it go, to just  _go_ with her he couldn't. He wasn't going to put himself in that position again and watch it crumble like empty promises.

"Oh." Ladybug forced a smile Chat wanted to wipe off her face as the rejection cut into her unexpectedly. She nodded and held her injured arm with the hand she touched him with, and smiled. "No, that's okay. You have better things to do, I'm sure."

He bowed to her like assured Chat Noir would, but ran like the coward Adrien truly was.

 

* * *

 

Their communication was not working. It reminded Ladybug of their first meeting, how untrustworthy they both felt about the other, wary of how her yin and his yang would clash, opinions unsaid and unanswered. Luck wasn't on their side in this lifetime. She was so sure they could stick to the prophecy and its warning. 

She was wrong.

Ladybug went to the lake anyway, cleaned and healed while Tikki enjoyed thirty delicious warm cookies. She held a small gift bag with the ones she managed to grab before Tikki got them, and hoped, with all the luck that she had, he would come in the end.

She wouldn't let her feelings for Adrien go completely, because seeing him still had her heart flutter, but Chat plagued her thoughts, and her skin tingled whenever she remembered their kisses. She was his partner first, his comforter second, his rule-breaker third. She'd been afraid of not sticking between the lines of what must happen and what shouldn't, but time affected her dreams and mind frame. She grew up repressing her emotions, because Ladybug was a job, not a reality escape.

Ladybug smiled at the couples and families that walked the path near the lake. From her distance she saw fairy lights strung on poles that circled the pond in a warm, golden glow. Love was in the air, but Valentine's Day was five months away. Music played in the distance; musicians and talented singers only amplifying the atmosphere into a warm and cozy cocoon of love.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath...

And snapped her eyes open. She sensed him nearby, as she would any other day with her Kwami activated. Ladybug stood and searched the neighboring houses, and even went further to the lake to see if she could spot him. He was so close, close enough that if she were to close her eyes and walk, he wouldn't be too far away to let her fall.

She looked behind her and waited. Her partner was here, just hiding.

"You gonna come out, kitten? I have a gift for you." When he didn't reveal himself, she rested a hand on her hip and rolled her eyes. He must be in a bad mood. "Come on," she said in her playful tone. "I made these especially for you. Take them before they get stale."

Minutes passed to the point where her patience ran thin. Her senses could barely reach out to him. 

She swallowed hard and looked out towards the darkened sky. He had to...he was just playing. "Kitten? Chat?"

She stayed in his silence for what felt like an eternity, until her senses could no longer pick him up anymore. The bag in her hand dropped to the side. She could feel herself, Marinette-self, question every move and every conversation she had with him, possibly believing it was something she had done or said that could make Chat react this way. The more questions she asked herself, the more vulnerable she felt, and the more closer Ladybug was with Marinette. 

This was just the luck she needed, and just when she was ready to face the whole world with him.

For once in their five year partnership, Ladybug felt truly alone and fragile.

She picked herself back up when the wind decided to make its presence known, and decided tonight wasn't a discussion for the future.

Once she was at the comforts of her room, Marinette washed herself down again, to rid of her negativity and doubts, and dressed herself in her warmest, fluffiest pair of pajama's she owned. Tikki kept quiet as she snuggled on her pillow, and while Marinette was grateful for the silence, it was not what she needed now.

She couldn't remember sleeping. She couldn't remember forcing herself out of bed to help Mama and Papa in the bakery. The cookies she had made were left on her desk, a spot Marinette consciously avoided.

Marinette let go of her train of thoughts and helped her parents. Music played as she went in the zone, blood pumping in excitement as the first batch of bread and cupcakes went in the oven. Yes. She could do this!

She burnt herself twice against the hot metal plates, and dropped a tray of baked cookies in a rush to help Papa place a new batch in. Tikki was almost spotted by a civilian. Her hair caught itself on a hook, the struggle loosening one of her earrings. She ended up searching for it for almost an hour, making her late for work (thankfully she found it near the bin before Mama swept the place).

Her heart wouldn't calm down on her way to _Agreste Fashion Co-operation_.  Every turn Marinette made, she feared something were to attack her. Her forehead was coated in a thin layer of sweat.

She stepped in dog poop before she stepped inside.

Someone spilt coffee all over her blazer.

One of the dresses didn't fit the model right, and she ended up having to undo half of the stitching in the skirt, cutting her lunch break entirely.

Natalie chastised her for being unprofessional despite everything up to date. That confrontation had Marinette bolt to the bathroom. She didn't leave for a while and was careful to avoid anyone looking directly in her eyes, else see how red they were.

She bumped into Adrien before she left to go home. Her cheeks warmed, but not because of her feelings. He saw her and yet commented nothing. It hurt her, but Marinette could tell something was up from Adrien's bad posture and wan expression. He probably had it tough from the meeting he just had. He shook her hand and said her efforts were well and appreciated, but left her in the middle of the hallway. 

She didn't understand what just happened, but from the look Tikki gave her, she knew this was just the beginning of Destiny's fury.

 

* * *

 

The weather was atrocious. It poured in an unstoppable force, drenching whoever stood in the open. What made it better was the Akuma, Mister Deliverer.

Chat didn't remember pushing her out of the way, or the sharp sensation that blinded his sight for a mere second before his vision came back and his body was tied to a tree.

From across the yard, he saw Ladybug in one, too, unable to get out. His heart twisted at the sight of her. Beaten to the core, she could barely stand up on her own. If Chat wasn't in the same predicament... 

"Ah," said Mister Deliverer, dancing between the two hero's, in what Chat would call, in a teasing matter, "I've seem to caught two of the  _unluckiest_  of them all. What a joy it is!"

"That's a compliment," Chat said, trying to break free without causing suspicion, "one I shall accept wholeheartedly."

"And yet hate." Chat's face turned white. Mister Deliverer's lips twisted up wickedly. "I know what you want, how you feel. I know your dreams and your nightmares. You cannot expect me not to know your lies and truths." He turned to Ladybug. "Oh, speaking of truths, what a troubled life you have. Tell me something, does your heart grow heavy at the thought of knowing what you've done could cause another mistake in history? I pity your destiny. Doomed to love a lover who loves you but cannot be with."

His whiny giggle itched Chat's claws to come out. Mister Deliverer had Ladybug right in his plans. He saw her surrender. "I do love a tragedy," he said.

"You _will_ become the tragedy," Chat yelled at the Akuma, struggling against the invisible ropes. 

There was a wicked glint in the Akuma's eyes that had Chat stiff from wariness. The crystal gem held in its hands glowed a brilliant purple until his eyes shut from the strong light.

Chat stood in an empty, blank room, with an orb hovering before him; the colour so captivating and warm, Chat had no control but to move towards it.

" _Chat_ ," he heard Ladybug call. Not the Ladybug he had pushed out of the way, but the one in the globe. " _Chat_ ," she said again, and giggled in delight. " _Hmm, you're such a silly kitten_."

"I am," he said fondly, a genuine smile lighting up his features. "I'm your silly kitten."

Mister Deliverer appeared next to him and awed. He touched the crystal twice and the colour changed to a bright pink, entrancing Chat even more. "Look at you, so in love with your Lady. I can feel how much of it consumes you, Chat Noir. Oh, so precious. So lovely."

"She is," he heard himself say. "Forever, my Lady."

Somewhere in the distance, a storm grew angry. Chat looked away from the orb and around the room, wondering where that sound was coming from. A flash of red came in the corner of his vision, and disappeared without a trace. He felt different, like he should care but didn't. A skeleton-like-hand turned his face the other way, until he was face to face with the crystal once more. Chat was content to stare at it and its colours. Most importantly, Chat just wanted to hear her laugh.

The crystal changed to a light orange, and Mister Deliverer gasped when Ladybug's voice spoke. " _There's something bothering you. Tell me, kitten_."

"Oh," Mister Deliverer said. "She knows you so well."

Chat raised his hand towards the orb, wanting to touch but too afraid to. "What is it that you want to know. Name it, and I will tell you."

In the back of his mind, someone called for him to think straight, but where the globe was stood his Lady, and he drowned the unnecessary voice out.

" _Were you there by the lake?_ "

"I was."

" _Why didn't you join me? I made cookies._ "

He stared at his perfect lady in the eye, and saw the emotion he expected to see. He reached for her. "I was scared my love for you was in vain, that I'd be left disappointed—but I wanted to join you," he added quickly, as she moved away from his touch. "I wanted so much to kiss you. I wanted you to kiss me, too."

" _Why is it that you want me to kiss you, Chat?_ " his Lady asked.

He couldn't look at her. "It’s been too long without my mother’s love. I’m deprived of it, my Lady. I’ve been haunted without her reassurance for too long." He'd said those lines before. Why was he repeating himself?

It didn't matter, a part of him said, but he wasn't completely convinced. His head span. It took all he had not to collapse.

Mister Deliverer pressed a hand to his chest. "Oh no, poor, poor,  _poor_ kitten."

" _Yes_ ," his Lady said. Chat blinked. A yellow hue glowed behind her and then to blue. The headache disappeared and Ladybug smiled. " _Poor kitten. What happened to her_?"

"I...I can't tell you."

" _You can tell me anything. Don't you trust me_?"

"I do," he said with clarity. "Always."

" _Tell me_."

The voice crawled back up again, desperate this time, but still a whisper, still unapproachable. He couldn't feel the rain anymore.

_"Tell me."_

He trusted her, he did. "It started when my mother left the morning before my birthday. She promised we'd spend the day together, but instead I found out she abandoned me for a different life, for a different family. I can't be abandoned again, my Lady"

" _I'll be your family_ ," she promised and felt her lips on his forehead. " _Just us two and no one else_." She kissed his cheeks. 

Chat swooned and stared at Ladybug with adoration. This was everything,  _everything,_ he wished would happen. He knew he could tell her the rest.

"It was a year that day I was given my miraculous." He chuckled at her playful gasp. Her eyes twinkled, and she leaned in to know more. "I met my Kwami, I made a new friend, and I met you. I had the greatest luck that day."

The crystal turned red. She turned red.

" _You don't need it_ ," his Lady said, pity spilling from the edge of her voice. Her fingers touched his lips. " _Why keep something that will only haunt you? Maybe it's time to let go. Chat—_ "

"CHAT, WAKE UP! It's not real..."

His Lady's soft, sweet voice beckoned him closer. " _Chat, it's time to let go._ "

He frowned. "But without my miraculous, I won't be your partner in crime. I'd be boring, scared, me."

She blinked at him with hope and promise. " _Our fate was written a long time ago, kitten. Let's be together without fear_." She reached towards her ears. " _I'll do it, too_."

He looked down at his ring and contemplated. His love for Ladybug went on as more than just infatuation. It was deep and ache worthy. He knew he would love the real her, as much as he was positive she could love the real him.

He felt warm all over, like the sun had slipped between the dark clouds and steamed his skin with its sunlight kisses. His mouth felt wet and so did his skin, but he was warm and alive. His finger hovered over his ring. This was the moment of truth, the day Ladybug would find out who he really was.

_"Yes. Do it. Remove the ring and give it to me."_

_"So close. Almost there—_ "

His fist hit an impact that sent hot pins and needles running up his arm.

The spell snapped and Chat was left in darkness with the rain continuing to pour heavily on his soaked figure. It was like someone had pulled the sheets off his bed. His sweet Ladybug was gone and so was the white room. Mister Deliverer had his back to a wall, unconscious, his orb crushed before his feet. The park was purified.

Soft sobs hovered near his ear.

"Ladybug?" His voice wasn't above the whisper, and he doubt if she weren't this close she would've have heard him over the rain.

"You're okay," she soothed, her thumb soothing his cheek. "Thank luck." He stared at her ripped masked and cut face, but her beauty wasn't any less than perfect. She was perfect.

Chat held her hand as she helped him sit up against the tree. "What happened?"

Ladybug frowned. "You don't remember?"

"I wouldn't have asked."

She turned the other way to the civilian. "You were going to give him your ring."

His heart fell in his gut, sweat now coated on his forehead. "But I didn't."

The corner of her lips turned up "Pure accident. You punched him in the face."

Her laughter was contagious, and he joined her despite the pain he felt in his joints. She fell on his chest, her body continuing to vibrate. A stitch formed on his side, but he didn't stop. He laughed until he needed to breathe again, and they sat in silence with fat rain drops splashing against their worn clothes.

"We make such a good team."

His face split into a smile. "Yeah, we do."

"I don't have much time. My Kwami's getting tired, but..." she laced her fingers through his. "Kitten? We need to talk."

"When a girl tells you that, it's not always lucky news."

"I heard what you said, about your mother, and I want you to know, Chat Noir," she said, fondly, and looked him straight in the eyes. "You're worth the consequences."

His eyes widened, her words slowly working its way through his head until it finally reached his heart.  His nose pricked up, and his throat felt too heavy to swallow. He let out a breath, sharp and quick, and tightened his hold on her hand. "Really?" It came out as a sob. He saw her bottom lip quiver.

"Every second," she said, "of every day. I won't abandon you. I won't stop fighting for you. Destiny can come down on us, but if you're by my side I'll take it with a smile on my face."

He reached up and stroked the corner of her mouth, catching her warm tears in the process. He pressed their foreheads together and felt the cool rain sprinkle down on them. "My Lady. May I kiss you?"

She nodded hastily. "Please."

 

* * *

 

Plagg fell on his lap not long after and glared at Adrien's goofy smile permanently stuck to his face.

"You pissed off the universe real bad. Hope you're happy."

"I knew it was coming the day I fell in love with her." He patted Plagg silently, feeling distressed for his Kwami, because he knew it must hurt to revisit the past over again. "Thank you for trying, Plagg, but in this lifetime, I'm destined to be with her."

Instead of flying off like Plagg would normally do, he moved closer to Adrien and snuggled closer. "You owe me buckets of expensive cheese."

 

 

* * *

 

Chat really liked kisses.

He made sure to tell his Lady that every time they went on patrol, at the top of the Eiffel tower, bathed in the full moon. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> *Edited*


End file.
